Chemical Equilibrium 1

The Equilibrium Law

States If the concentrations of all the substances present at equilibrium are raised to the
power of the number of moles they appear in the equation, the product of the
concentrations of the products divided by the product of the concentrations of the
reactants is a constant, provided the temperature remains constant ... WOW!

Calculating Equilibrium Constants

Types Kc equilibrium values are concentrations in mol dm-3

Kp equilibrium values are partial pressures - system at constant temperature

The partial pressure expression can be used for reactions involving gases

Calculating Kc for a reaction of the form aA + bB cC + dD

then (at constant temperature) [C]c . [D]d = a constant, ( Kc )

Knockhardy Publishing

[A]a . [B]b

[ ] denotes the equilibrium concentration in mol dm-3

Kc is known as the Equilibrium Constant

Value of Kc AFFECTED by a change of temperature

NOT AFFECTED by a change in concentrations

a change of pressure
adding a catalyst

Q.1 What happens to the theoretical yield of a reaction if...

Kc increases
Kc decreases ?

Q.2 What happens to the value of Kc if ...

the temperature is increased in an exothermic reaction
the temperature is decreased in an exothermic reaction
the temperature is increased in an endothermic reaction
the temperature is decreased in an endothermic reaction

KNOCKHARDY PUBLISHING 2015

2 Chemical Equilibrium

Q.3 Write expressions for the equilibrium constant, Kc of the following reactions.
Remember, equilibrium constants can have units.

Fe3+(aq) + NCS(aq) FeNCS2+((aq) Kc =

NH4OH(aq) NH4+(aq) + OH(aq) Kc =

2Fe3+(aq) + 2I(aq) 2Fe2+(aq) + I2(aq) Kc =

Calculating
value of Kc construct the balanced equation, including state symbols (aq), (g) etc.
determine the number of moles of each species at equilibrium
divide moles by volume (dm3) to get the equilibrium concentrations in mol dm-3

Knockhardy Publishing
(If no volume is quoted, use a V; it will probably cancel out)
from the equation constructed in the first step, write out an expression for Kc.
substitute values from third step and calculate the value of Kc with any units

Example 1 Ethanoic acid (1 mol) reacts with ethanol (1 mol) at 298K. When equilibrium is
reached, two thirds of the acid has reacted. Calculate the value of Kc.

CH3COOH(l) + C2H5OH(l) CH3COOC2H5(l) + H2O(l)

initial moles 1 1 0 0

equilibrium moles 1 - 2/3 1 - 2/3 2/

3
2/
3

If 23 mol of If 23 mol of the According to the equation,

the acid has acid has reacted, for every mol of acid that
reacted then then 23 mol of reacts you make 1 mol of
take the value ethanol will also ester and 1 mol of water.
away from have reacted. Therefore, if 23 mol of acid
the initial Take 23 mol has reacted, 23 mol of ester
number of away from the and 23 mol of water are
moles of acid original. produced.

equilibrium concs. 1/ /V 1/ /V 2/ /V 2/ /V
3 3 3 3

V = volume (dm3) of the equilibrium mixture

Kc = [CH3COOC2H5] [H2O] = 2/ V . 2/3 / V

3/ = 4
[CH3COOH] [C2H5OH] 1/ / V . 1/3 / V
3

KNOCKHARDY PUBLISHING 2015

 Chemical Equilibrium 3

Example 2 Consider the reaction P + 2Q R + S (all are aqueous)

1 mol of P and 1 mol of Q are mixed. Once equilibrium has been achieved, 0.6 mol
of P are present. How many moles of Q, R and S are present at equilibrium ?

P + 2Q R + S
Initial moles 1 1 0 0
At equilibrium 06 02 04 04
(04 reacted) (2 x 04 reacted) (get 1 R and 1 S for every P that reacts)
1- 06 remain 1- 08 remain

Explanation if 0.6 moles of P remain of the original 1 mole, 0.4 moles have reacted
the equation states that 2 moles of Q react with every 1 mole of P
this means that 0.8 (2 x 0.4) moles of Q have reacted, leaving 0.2 moles
one mole of R and S are produced from every mole of P that reacts
this means 0.4 moles of R and 0.4 moles of S are present at equilibrium
Knockhardy Publishing

Q.4 The questions refer to the equilibrium A + B C + D (all aqueous)

(a) If the original number of moles of A and B are both 1 and 0.4 moles of A are
present at equilibrium, how many moles of B, C and D are present?

What will be the value of Kc ?

(b) At a higher temperature, the original moles of A and B were 2 and 3 respectively.
If 1 mole of A is present at equilibrium, how many moles of B, C and D are present?
What else does this tell you about the reaction?

KNOCKHARDY PUBLISHING 2015

4 Chemical Equilibrium

Calculations involving Gases

Method carried out in a similar way to those involving concentrations

one has the choice of using Kc or Kp for the equilibrium constant
when using Kp only take into account gaseous species for the expression
quotes the partial pressure of the gas in the equilibrium mixture
pressure is usually quoted in Nm-2 or Pa - (atmospheres are sometimes used)
the units of the constant Kp depend on the stoichiometry of the reaction

total pressure = sum of the partial pressures

partial pressure = total pressure x mole fraction

mole fraction = number of moles of a substance

number of moles of all substances present

Calculating Kp for a reaction of the form a A(g) + b B(g) c C(g)

Knockhardy Publishing
then (at constant temperature) PCc = a constant, ( Kp )

PAa x PBb

P denotes the partial pressure of a gaseous component at equilibrium

Kp is the Equilibrium Constant in terms of partial pressures

Example N2O4(g) 2 NO2(g) Kp = ( PNO2 ) 2 (units of pressure)

( PN2O4 )

Q.5 Write expressions for the equilibrium constant, Kp of the following reactions.
Remember, equilibrium constants can have units. (assume the pressure is in MPa)

N2(g) + 3H2(g) 2NH3(g) Kp =

PCl5(s) PCl3(l) + Cl2(g) Kp =

CaCO3(s) CaO(s) + CO2(g) Kp =

3Fe(s) + 4H2O(g) Fe3O4(s) + 4H2(g) Kp =

KNOCKHARDY PUBLISHING 2015

 Chemical Equilibrium 5

Example 1 A mixture of 16g of O2 and 42g of N2 , exerts a total pressure of 20000 Nm-2.
What is the partial pressure of each gas ?

moles of O2 = mass / molar mass = 16g / 32g = 0.5 mol

moles of N2 = mass / molar mass = 42g / 28g = 1.5 mol Total = 2 mol

mole fraction of O2 = 0.5 / 2 = 0.25

mole fraction of N2 = 1.5 / 2 = 0.75 sum of mole fractions = 1

partial pressure of O2 = mole fraction x total pressure

= 0.25 x 20000 Nm-2 = 5000 Nm-2

partial pressure of N2 = mole fraction x total pressure

= 0.75 x 20000 Nm-2 = 15000 Nm-2

Example 2 Nitrogen (1 mol) and hydrogen (3 mol) react at constant temperature at a pressure of
1MPa. At equilibrium, half the nitrogen has reacted. Calculate Kp .

N2(g) + 3H2(g) 2NH3(g)

initial moles 1 3 0
at equilibrium 1 - 0.5 = 0.5 mol 3 - 1.5 = 1.5 mol 2 x 0.5 = 1 mol
Knockhardy Publishing

mole fractions 0.5 / 3 1.5 / 3 1/3

partial pressures (0.5 / 3) x 1MPa. 1.5 / 3 x 1MPa. 1 / 3 x 1MPa.

applying the equilibrium law Kp = (PNH3)2 = 13 x 13 MPa -2

(PN2) . (PH2)3 16 x 12 x 12 x 12

therefore Kp = 5.33 MPa-2

Example 3 0.102g of solid ammonium sulphide is heated in a closed container at 100C until
equilibrium is reached at a pressure of 0.1MPa. It is found that 75% of the ammonium
sulphide has dissociated. Calculate the equilibrium constant Kp for the reaction at 100C.

NH4HS(s) NH3(g) + H2S(g)

initial mass (g) 0.102 0 0

initial moles 0.102 / 51 = 2 x 10-3 0 0
moles at equilibrium 0.5 x 10-3 1.5 x 10-3 1.5 x 10-3
75% has dissociated 1 mole of NH3 formed 1 mole of H2S formed
1.5 moles have reacted for every 1 mole of NH4HS reacted

mole fractions (moles / total moles) 1.5 / 3 1.5 / 3

partial pressures (1.5 / 3) x 0.1MPa (1.5 / 3) x 0.1MPa
= 0.05 MPa = 0.05 MPa

applying the equilibrium law Kp = PNH3 x PH2S = 0.05MPa x 0.05MPa

(the partial pressure of a solid is
more or less constant so is ignored) Kp = 2.5 x 10-3 MPa2

KNOCKHARDY PUBLISHING 2015